Active Member
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2008
- Messages
- 7,217
After a decade, I decided to rewatch both Black and RX. More than halfway through Black right now, here are my impressions:
Pros
- The music for both shows is certainly one of their strong points. The ending themes for both are among the best of the franchise. "Long Long Ago 20th Century" is a lament for the peaceful days long gone, and "Someone Loves You" is a good rebuttal that bring back optimism. I just finished reading "The World of Yesterday" by Stefan Zweig, where he talked about how the Europe he knew and loved was destroyed by both world wars and was left without a country: knowing how Black's final episodes go by memory, I think I doubly appreciate it when I watch them this time around.
Some of Black's songs though are a bit awkward, either due to the tune itself or Tetsuo Kurata's singing. Takayuki Miyauchi's songs for RX are almost all great.
- The creepiness of Golgom is great to see, something modern Rider really could use more of. (The Greeds, Horoscopes and Phantoms being the biggest disappointments in the post-Decade era.) I especially like how you can see the eyes of some mutants' suit actors. It makes them more monstrous and freakish.
- Black's suit is a leathery exoskeleton with brown fleshy parts beneath. That makes it look more "organic" than the previous Showa Riders. I get the impression that beneath the black armoring is that grasshopper monster Kotaro transforms into briefly in the first episode. The RX suits aren't bad, but I do wish they showed some of that fleshy interior as well; they're a bit too refined.
Cons
- The 'search for Nobuhiko' plot is largely dropped to the wayside. Most of the show up to this point is just Kotaro's adventures as Black, with Shadow Moon given barely a mention. I think the show could've taken a page from Zubat, with Kotaro continuously searching for clues as to his brother's location, questioning Golgom monsters and other members, with episodes teasing the chance of finding him only to be lead astray. That would've made the show more engaging.
- Birugenia is mostly a wasted idea. The Century King has him released from his prison to kill Kotaro, but he too is reduced to a nonentity soon after appearing. He'll just laugh at the Priests, attack Kotaro and then quickly retreat again, accomplishing little. We know he tried to rebel millennia ago for not being given a Kingstone. More should've been done with that. Maybe show him going amongst the Golgom monsters and other members trying to win their support for another cue behind the Priests' backs, telling them that their leaders have failed and he will bring them glory. Have him toy with Kotaro over Nobuhiko's whereabouts to break him, and plotting to steal his Kingstone before the Priests can get it. Just make him do more.
- I don't dislike the Shadow Moon suit, but it's very metallic compared to Black's and his eyes are smaller. I'm not sure if that's because he's more "complete" than Black, but it looks like too much a contrast. But what bugs me the most is why doesn't he have the Golgom symbol on his chest the way Black does? It makes no sense for that to be so.
Pros
- The music for both shows is certainly one of their strong points. The ending themes for both are among the best of the franchise. "Long Long Ago 20th Century" is a lament for the peaceful days long gone, and "Someone Loves You" is a good rebuttal that bring back optimism. I just finished reading "The World of Yesterday" by Stefan Zweig, where he talked about how the Europe he knew and loved was destroyed by both world wars and was left without a country: knowing how Black's final episodes go by memory, I think I doubly appreciate it when I watch them this time around.
Some of Black's songs though are a bit awkward, either due to the tune itself or Tetsuo Kurata's singing. Takayuki Miyauchi's songs for RX are almost all great.
- The creepiness of Golgom is great to see, something modern Rider really could use more of. (The Greeds, Horoscopes and Phantoms being the biggest disappointments in the post-Decade era.) I especially like how you can see the eyes of some mutants' suit actors. It makes them more monstrous and freakish.
- Black's suit is a leathery exoskeleton with brown fleshy parts beneath. That makes it look more "organic" than the previous Showa Riders. I get the impression that beneath the black armoring is that grasshopper monster Kotaro transforms into briefly in the first episode. The RX suits aren't bad, but I do wish they showed some of that fleshy interior as well; they're a bit too refined.
Cons
- The 'search for Nobuhiko' plot is largely dropped to the wayside. Most of the show up to this point is just Kotaro's adventures as Black, with Shadow Moon given barely a mention. I think the show could've taken a page from Zubat, with Kotaro continuously searching for clues as to his brother's location, questioning Golgom monsters and other members, with episodes teasing the chance of finding him only to be lead astray. That would've made the show more engaging.
- Birugenia is mostly a wasted idea. The Century King has him released from his prison to kill Kotaro, but he too is reduced to a nonentity soon after appearing. He'll just laugh at the Priests, attack Kotaro and then quickly retreat again, accomplishing little. We know he tried to rebel millennia ago for not being given a Kingstone. More should've been done with that. Maybe show him going amongst the Golgom monsters and other members trying to win their support for another cue behind the Priests' backs, telling them that their leaders have failed and he will bring them glory. Have him toy with Kotaro over Nobuhiko's whereabouts to break him, and plotting to steal his Kingstone before the Priests can get it. Just make him do more.
- I don't dislike the Shadow Moon suit, but it's very metallic compared to Black's and his eyes are smaller. I'm not sure if that's because he's more "complete" than Black, but it looks like too much a contrast. But what bugs me the most is why doesn't he have the Golgom symbol on his chest the way Black does? It makes no sense for that to be so.